Waiting
by Yuuki no Yume
Summary: It's been four years since senior year, and Kelsi is freshly out of Julliard, while life is decent worrying about someone has left her inspired. Will her inspiration return or will she still be waiting for him to return to her life--?


Waiting

**Waiting**

The brunette haired woman sighed, mixing the hot cocoa in her hands, she having never been one for coffee. Her blue orbs were hazy from the late night work. Now at twenty-three, Kelsi Nielsen was freshly out of Julliard, by barely four months, and managed to make a well enough living with her composing.

Over the year's the once "Wildcat playmaker" had changed quite a bit, both physically and personality wise. While she was still short, barely reaching 5'2" now, her once curly hair was now constantly straight, though normally still not freed of a hat. Her blue orbs had long ago lost the glasses that hid them, due to her mother. Her personality, however, was what changed the most.

Before she had met Troy and Gabriella, Kelsi had been a semi-hermit. She having only socializing with her fellow drama club members, and even then not really speaking to them either. Always hiding behind the school piano. After she met them, however, she had begun to come out of shell: socializing, sticking up for herself, even dancing.

As her thoughts turned to the dancing part, the small brunette scowled Gabriella and Troy had brought her out, but it was definitely Jason Cross that changed her the most. He was the first one to make her laugh, to bring out both hidden teasing and playful natures, to sing, to be inspired, and to be truly cheerful.

He had asked her a few weeks before Junior year had ended, and of course she had obliged having been head-over-heels with him since the Triple Threat match. They were a cute, perfect couple- according to, and grudgingly, Sharpay Evans. Sure the two had their fights, but they were small and wouldn't last long, both having no ability to stay mad at the other.

Their relationship had lasted until the end of the senior year, when both realized it was impossible to continue their relationship when going to two different universities. Jason had been given a basketball scholarship to the University of New Mexico, and Kelsi one of music to Julliard. Their relationship had ended on mutual agreement, no hard feelings, and both promising to write to each other while away.

And they did, for the next four years the two corresponded at least once a day, sometimes twice. After graduating college- Jason's school semester ending sooner then hers, Jason's letters slowly became more vague, and came less—and two months ago stopped coming altogether. She had tried contacting the 'gang', but none of them seemed to know what Jason was up to. This worried Kelsi, having never really lost her feelings for Jason, it became habit to e-mail him two times a day, hoping. Of course, there was never a response.

Sipping the hot cocoa, her eyes glanced at the clock of her microwave- eyes becoming wide. Hastily, she placed the drink on the table- which happily sloshed onto the shiny surface. Kelsi paid it no heed, as she went back into the living room where her mini grand piano sat. She had about four hours before Sharpay, the other female being a patron of hers, would come to pick up the music she had requested just days before; and Kelsi was no where near done.

Taking a seat at the bench, the brunette's brows furrowed at the music. Her worry over Jason had left her hard-pressed, uninspired; and she hated the fact that not getting e-mails from him everyday was probably what left her uninspired. Inspiration always seemed to come when he sent her a new e-mail. With another sigh, she momentarily pursed her lips before placing her fingers on the familiar keys of the piano, forcing herself to work on the piece.

The measures written soon came to a grinding halt. Frowning some, she brushed back a bang impatiently, before she had always been able to figure out at least a note to follow, but this time there was nothing. Groaning, she resorted an old habit when aggravated. Placing her chin in her hands, and elbows on keys; she listened to the familiar screech of harsh keys against each other, eyes staring at the papers before her concentrating.

A noise outside of the melody playing in her head broke that concentration, making her look around bewildered. The noise sounded for a second time; the doorbell. Curiously, she got off the piano bench haphazardly- praying it wasn't Sharpay coming early

Opening the door, without looking at who was before, she started a quick explanation. "Sharpay, I'm sorry, it's not even close to being fini—" she stopped short when her eyes fell upon the familiar, long dreamt of, warm green ones of another. "Jason--?" she squeaked in barely a whisper, voice quivering.

"Hey composer," he replied evenly, a crooked grin—one she hadn't seen in years—placed on his lips. Kelsi felt the soft moisture of tears stream down her face, both of happiness and anger, but more so to the latter. Kelsi's hands clenched and she allowed herself to glare at him. Before he could say or do more, she launched herself forward and started to punch every inch of him she could reach.

"Ouch—Kelsi! What the—? OW!"

"You—complete—_jerk_—Jason—Cross!" she growled, punctuating ever word with another blow. Jason back away, trying to catch her constantly flying fists but found he couldn't and was awed by the speed of the small thespian.

"You come here after weeks, no months, of no contact with that stupid smile on your face and a simple 'hey composer!'" she continued, her angry resolve beginning to slip, her anger with him never lasted long. It wasn't fair, she wanted to be angry at him for a good long time, but she couldn't manage it as the tears still splashed down her cheeks. Jason noticing the woman's resolve slipping, managed to grab her arms before she could hit him again.

Kelsi struggled to get out of his grasps, but the basketball was too strong for her and she knew the rest of her resolve had just crumbled. Allowing the hot tears to stream down her fact, she kept her eyes anywhere but on him. Feeling Jason let go, she managed to take a few steps back—stopping in the doorway of her house, to easily escape if need be.

She looked at him carefully, rocking on the balls of her feet momentarily- tears starting to slow, he showed no sign of being mauled moments before, only sadness and guilt reflected in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Kels," he said quietly, voice solemn. She glared at him, arms folding across her chest, a small angry laugh escaping her lips. "You make me worry—fret about you, and all you have to say is 'I'm sorry'! For all I know you could have died! None of the others knew what happened to you—" she started, "a nice e-mail would have been nice, a simple 'I'm alright Kelsi!' But I suppose you've been too busy—hmm? What you do find some _girlfriend_—?" she questioned, a small pit of jealousy forming in t he pit of her stomach at the last word. She wanted to hate Jason Cross, he had always confused her, made her fall too in love—and then ripped it away, and the thought of him having a girlfriend upset her; she wasn't possessive, no far from—but it was just something about _Jason Cross_ that made her feel different. Unique, or special, if you will.

Jason frowned some. "No, nothing like that—Kels," he replied his voice even, "I was busy, doing something—alright..?" His voice was hesitant, awkward, seemingly unsure if he should continue saying something. Kelsi raised a brow, "Oh--?"

He nodded, and she was bewildered by his hesitation, he was biting his lip, -- Jason had never before hesitated in front of her, and after awhile—her him, then why was he suddenly hesitating.

Jason shifted on his feet, running his hand awkwardly through his hair. "Listen, I've got to get to work, something is do in a few hours.. it's nice knowing you're alive," she mumbled with a sigh, beginning to shut the door. "No wait! Kels!" Jason said quickly once more, making her stop—brow shooting up.

Kelsi noticed the male gulp, before her own eyes went wide and she nearly gaped as he pulled out a box, that held an emerald stone—having long ago told him that one was her favorite, and he went down on one knee. He hesitated once more, "Kelsi Nielsen, I know I've been a _jerk _lately not contacting you, but would you.. marry me..?"

Taken by surprise, the young woman acted on impulse and slammed the door in his face. Did he really just ask her to marry him--? Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, and she couldn't help the blush that invaded her cheeks. It wasn't possible, Jason Cross could not have just arrived at her doorstep, with nearly two months of no contact and asked her to marry him. It just wasn't possible, was it..?

Gathering herself, she opened the door- hoping he hadn't wondered off. He hadn't, but he looked beaten somewhat. Seeing her he managed a weak smile, "Well that was certainly the oddest rejection, didn't think it would be like that," he said in a weak joke. She stared at him, almost trancelike. She wasn't dreaming—and it had been possible.

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks once more. "Why—why so suddenly..?" she managed to get out, choking some on the words. He smiled half-heartedly, giving a bit of a shrug. "I planned on it for a while, Sharpay helped some—because I needed to make sure.. you'd be home when I asked.."

At his words Kelsi's eyes widened in surprise, so that was why Sharpay had suddenly asked her for a song and demanded it to be done in three days! She knew Kelsi would be having trouble. She scowled, noting to yell at the blond female later—and thank her perhaps.

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "Well.. this is awkward," he murmured, earning a nod in return, "I guess. I'll see you then—" "Why..?" she managed to get out earning a small smile. "Well being rejected by the person standing infront of you—isn't quite what I'd like to be around…."

"I didn't reject you—" she interjected quietly, Jason raising a brow, "I was just surprised…" "Oh?" Jason said, it was his turn to question. She nodded quietly, "then may I ask for your answer..?"

Kelsi nodded, overwhelming feelings from the past four years of not being around _him_ seeping out. "You know.. Jase, I've waited for you all this time—never dating, despite your urging and waiting for your emails—when they stopped, I guess I was sort of crushed… I became uninspired, ask Sharpay—she had the full 'butt' of it.. I waited—" she stopped being cut off by his arm around her waist as he pulled her into a kiss. Only momentarily surprised, she pressed her hand against his shirt to return it before he broke it, a smirk on his lips.

"Compose you still talk to much," he said his voice in a whisper, breath brushing against her lips—making her giggle, a giggle that had never been quite there for four years. "I shall ask again, and this time instead of a speech—a simple yes or no will do," he said his voice still in a whisper, a remarkably dreamt of teasing whisper.

Kelsi giggled once more, before stealing another kiss. "Mr. 23… of course that was a yes, I didn't wait for nothing—I waited for my inspiration to fall back in my life, the one person I'd want to spend that life with—" She didn't finish as he once more kissed her, which she of course returned. In joy, Jason picked her up and spun her around—breaking the kiss, making him grin as he heard an angelic laughter he himself had been waiting to her. Much like Kelsi, he too had waited for _his_ playmaker.

Not far away, unbeknownst to the now happy couple were eight very familiar friends who were silently cheering and high-fiving each other. "Took long enough," a certain blond haired girl muttered with a curt nod, "and I've done my good deed for the year!"

TBC

I know, cheesy ending, but it was something fun I had to write! Please note, seeing as I myself am a hermit I've never really been in a romantic relationship x.x so sorry if it's not great! XD Now I do have a question, if I were to write a story with my original HP characters (Lacey Heather Sage and Lysander Claiborne) would you read it.. or if I wrote for another series.


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